Disclaimer: See prologue chapter

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Chapter 28

Legacy

"There's a rumour going round that a certain bride-to-be actually made a decision to do with her wedding recently." Nate dropped down in front of the swing seat, landing on one of the cushions he had brought out with him pretending to hold out a microphone to the girl in front of him. "Would the bride like to make a comment?"

"The bride is going to ignore the question as it is simply stupid." Mitchie replied from where she sat curled up like a cat, her head on a pillow above him on the seat. Strangely the sun protective additives were all in place, putting her in deep shade including her darkest sunglasses. "Because the person asking clearly already knows the answer and is evidently asking for a cushion in the face which she would be quite willing to chuck at him."

"They would rather do with it but he thanks the bride for the offer any way." Nate shot back. "He is curious to know if there is a particular reason why she is curled up on the swing with no-one else around."

"Yes," Mitchie said simply as she closed her eyes again, wincing slightly as she did so (and immediately knowing that she was in for it).

The wince did catch Nate's attention and he stopped their game, sitting up straight, "Mitchie, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Nate, really." She waved him off but even that movement had her wincing again.

"That is so not true, Mitch and you know it." He reached out and touched her forehead checking for any signs of a fever. "You've got all the signs of one of your headaches and not only that, a migraine. What the heck are you doing out here in the sun?"

"Because it's actually cooler out here than it is indoors and you would have known that if you came through the house." Mitchie shot back, wincing again as she did so. "The air conditioning is on the fritz and the engineer's on call."

"And you haven't told anyone you're sick because of it." Nate scrambled in his pocket for his phone and started typing. The fact that she made no attempt to even stop him likely she normally would was all he needed to know that this was a bad one. "Mitch, you know better than that."

Mitchie sincerely considered sticking her tongue out at him but even the thought of moving her head at that precise moment was not welcomed.

Caitlyn came running out of the house followed closely by Deanna (but slightly more carefully as she was carrying a basket full of drinks). Behind them, he saw Jason and Shane head for the outside garden shed to get the temporary gazebo they occasionally put up when the sun got too much.

It was so matter of fact the way that they dealt with it. A – Mitchie has a headache. B – Person with her texts others. C – First person to reach the medicine brings it out (which sort depending on the text sent). D – Next person brings liquids and lastly (and depending on whether they were in the garden at home) E – Two of them got out the gazebo to cut out the light.

As soon as Caitlyn reached the swing, she opened up the small box she held and pulled out the syringe and was immediately met with a groan. "Your own fault," She reprimanded the brunette. "If you had spoken up sooner, you could have had the capsules, now give me your arm."

As the girls sorted out Mitchie, Nate joined Jason and Shane in putting up the gazebo – thanking all the music gods that they could do so without half the problems they had had when they put it up the first time. They had ended up with aching sides from laughing so much.

"How is she?" Jason asked as he put together the poles.

"Feeling foolish," Nate replied as he started to unfold the canvas. "She knows she should have spoken up before now."

"You know what she like, Nate." Shane started to put the corner poles in their places. "My girl is one stubborn little thing." He glanced over his shoulder at her, smiling as he found his said girl now stretched out completely on the swing. "Just be thankful that it's been at least four months since the last one."

"There, I'm a little confused." Nate admitted as he helped Jason lift the roof poles onto the corner poles. "Mitch has had her memory back for two years now, why the headaches still?"

"People who have suffered from the sort of head injuries that Mitchie had when she was a child do sometimes have headaches for the rest of their life." Jason replied as he connected the last corner with an audible snap. "At least that's what her specialist said. There may be long periods between them but they're here to stay." He looked over his shoulder at Nate. "How come I have to tell you this?"

"I was in Washington DC when she last saw her specialist, remember." He responded as he started to help Shane put the silk canvas over the poles. "I never asked when I got back."

"She's never really going to be able to put it completely all behind her, Nate." Shane turned and fixed his gaze on his now sleeping fiancée. "The headaches are her permanent legacy and as that's all she's been left with, I'm for one not going to worry about it."

"Yeah there is that I suppose." Nate agreed as he finished fixing the last part of the gazebo. "Alright, that's done. Let's get out of the sun."

All three of them quickly joined their respective ladies, although Shane took a cushion in front of the swing seat so that he didn't disturb Mitchie. He gently brushed back a lock of hair from where it fallen behind her glasses then pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, smiling as she made a little sound of glee.

He then turned and joined in the soft chatter that was going on – the tone they used was something they had learned over the last two years did not disturb her.

And life went on, that was their legacy.

RC-CS-EC

You know I thought I was going to be able to get through this story with a chapter in which Mitchie was ill.

My fingers disagreed!!!!;op

As I started writing though, I also realised that it wouldn't be realistic if Mitchie's headaches just stopped completely. (My father has migraines due to an accident to this day and that's been almost thirty years now, so don't anyone start saying that this wouldn't happen!!!)

As always looking forward to seeing what you have to say ;op